THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1991
IMPORTANT FOR HK TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT GESTURE
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HONG KONG IS A PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS FOR HONG KONG TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT GESTURE, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR PIERS JACOBS SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PROPOSAL TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE RESOLUTION OF THE GULF CONFLICT.
SPEAKING TO MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AFTER DELIVERING THE OPENING SPEECH AT THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS CONFERENCE ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNOR, SIR PIERS SAID FIGHTING THE GULF CONFLICT WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY EXPENSIVE AND $230 MILLION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE WAS NOT A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY.
"I THINK IT IS A RIGHT SUM OF MONEY FOR HONG KONG ΤΟ CONTRIBUTE. WE CANNOT GIVE MUCH MORE BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET. EQUALLY WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE WRONG TO GIVE MUCH LESS," HE SAID.
"IF YOU LOWER THE FIGURE TOO MUCH IT COULD BECOME OBVIOUSLY OF SIGNIFICANCE AND THERE IS A DANGER THAT IT MIGHT BECOME ALMOST DERISORY," HE ADDED.
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ASKED HOW THE $230 MILLION WAS ARRIVED AT, SIR PIERS SAID IT WAS A FIGURE THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY VARIOUS PEOPLE WE HAVE SPOKEN TO BOTH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IN HONG KONG,
ASKED WHETHER HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE PASSED AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, SIR PIERS SAID HE EXPECTED IT TO BE DEBATED QUITE THOROUGHLY TOMORROW (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON BECAUSE THERE WERE OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWS.
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"WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS BUT GENERALLY WB ARK CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL GO THROUGH.
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"THE OPPONENTS TEND TO BE VERY VOCAL BUT I THINK WHEN IT IS PROPERLY DEBATED TOMORROW AFTERNOON PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT IT IS RIGHT FOR HONG KONG TO MAKE THIS CONTRIBUTION.
"WE ARE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, IF YOU GO IN TO SEE THIS EXHIBITION (THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS CONFERENCE), YOU WILL SEE HOW IMPORTANT A PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WE ARE, HE SAID.
ASKED IF HE EXPECTED A VERY HEATED DEBATE, SIR PIERS SAID: ALWAYS GET HEATED DEBATES IN THE COUNCIL. IT'S A GOOD THING TOO."
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WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT'S HIGH-HANDEDNESS IN RELATION TO THIS ISSUE, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS PART OF THE NORMAL GOVERNMENT PROCESS TO CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON A HOST OF DIFFERENT MATTERS.
"WHEN WE GET A VIEW FROM THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, WE THEN TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION. THE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THIS OCCASION IS TO TAKE A PAPER TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARR DOING. THERE IS NOTHING HIGH-HANDED ABOUT IT," HE SAID.
ON THE QUESTION OF LOBBYING SUPPORT, TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO SEE HOW THEY FEEL. PERHAPS TOO STRONG A WORD.
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HE SAID: "WE HAVE SPOKEN BUT I THINK LOBBYING IS
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